Bridging for floor joists



Dec. 30, 1952 T. G. PESTAK BRIDGING FOR FLOOR JOISTS Filed April 6,.1950 Patented Dec. 39, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT 9 F F l C E 1. Claim.

This invention relates to a new and improved adjustable bridging forfloor-joists. The bridging is adapted to be easily and quickly installedbetween the joists and held in position therein without nailing.

By bridging is meant a system of bracing for floor-joists by means ofsingle pieces of boards set at right angles to the joists and fitting inbetween them, or by means of small struts. The effect of the bracin isof decided advantage in sustaining any concentrated load upon the floor,but it does not materially strengthen a floor to resist a uniformlydistributed load.

After the joists are set and leveled they are usually bridged by cuttingin between the joists a line of diagonal braces of 1 by 3 inch or 2 by 3inch pieces for 5 to 8 foot of span. The pieces are cut on a miter tothe exact length and fastened by nails to the joists. This type ofbridging results in such confusion and annoyance to the builder whenkeen and careful mechanics are lacking. The bridging stiffens the floorand prevents vibration as well as helping to spread a concentrated loadon one joist to the adjoining joist.

From the foregoing it is evident that the braces must be cut to fit thespacing between the joist, which requires a great amount of time,besides the labor of installing the same individually.

Other objects of the present invention not at this time moreparticularly enumerated will be clearly understood from the followingdetailed description of said invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation showing a floor section with myimproved bridging installed between the joists,

Figure 2 is a view of one of the bridging members lookin in thedirection of the arrows 2-2 in Figure 1.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughoutthe several views.

in when the bolts are turned in installing and securing the bridging inplace between the joists. The bridging members are also provided with aboss I4, 14 to accommodate the head [5 of the bolts I3.

The members constituting the bridging are provided with apertures [6 toreceive the bolts l3, l3, and are slightly larger in diameter than theshank of the bolt to permit adjustment of the bridging members thereon.

The adjustability of the length of the bridging is accomplished asfollows: to shorten the bridging the members are spread apart at theirends,

and to lengthen it the ends are forced together.

Referring to Figure 1, two joists are shown at l and 2, these joistssupporting a conventional floor 3 nailed thereon.

The bridging comprises two pivoted channel shaped pressed steel membersA and 5, the pivot is shown at B in Figure 1.

The middle portion of each of the bridging members is reduced in widthas shown in Figure 2 as at I, so that when the members are assembled thefaces 8 and 9 lie in a common vertical plane.

The upper end faces of the bridging members are provided with aplurality of spaced prongs l0 projecting outwardly therefrom, as shownin Figure 1 and in Figure 2. It will be noted that the prongs areprovided on only one end of each bridging member, that is at their upperends.

The members constituting the bridgin are each provided with a seat i Ifor the reception of th nuts l2, l2, that screw-threadedly engage theshank of the bolts l3, E3. The seat for the nut is so dimensioned thatthe nut cannot turn there- It will be noted that when the bridging isproperly positioned between the joists and, the bolts tightened, theprongs on the upper ends of the bridging are forced into the joist andheld in place thereby while the lower ends are free and may be adjustedto meet the various exigencies of use.

It is believed that the operation of the device as a whole will beclear, in view of the foregoing description which has been given inconnection with that of the construction of the same.

While I have herein shown and described a preferred arrangement, it willbe readily under stood that changes and modifications therein may befound desirable or essential in meeting the various exigencies of use,and I desire to be under stood as reserving the right to make any andall such changes or modifications as may be found desirable oressential, in so far as the same may fall within the spirit and scope ofthe invention as expressed in the accompanying claim when broadlyconstrued.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A joist bridging adapted to be placed between two joists comprising apair of similar members, each of said members having a beveled end and apronged end with an apertured seat adjacent one of said ends and anapertured boss adjacent the other of said ends, said members beingpivoted together at their centers with each seat verticall aligned witha boss, a nut received in each of said seats, and headed bolts withscrew threaded shanks received in the aligned apertures, the heads ofthe bolts abutting said bosses and the shanks thereof threadedlyengaging in said nuts,

whereby when said bolts are tightened in the nuts a movement oftranslation is imparted to the bridging to force said members into rigidengagement with the joists.

THOMAS G. PESTAK.

REFERENCES CITED FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain of 1892Number

